I review books. Although I don’t identify as a full-time book reviewer, I do read a lot. Like, a lot, a lot. And when I start making notes on the actual pages of a fresh new book, in pen, you know there’s value in it.

Want to know when my first note appears on the pages of Erik Kruger’s Dangerous? Page x. That’s not a typo. I began deriving value right from “The Origin Story”, but the actual book only starts on page 3.

Now, a book called Dangerous is not a logical or obvious reading choice for me. I’m risk-averse. I’m rarely impulsive. You might even say I’m diametrically opposed to spontaneity. I plan to be spontaneous.

But guess what? It turns out that “dangerous” doesn’t mean reckless.

It turns out, per Erik Kruger, that adaptability is a skill to be cultivated, not a passive trait to be applied only when necessary. We should therefore be in warrior mode, rather than in fire-fighter mode.

Now, like me, you may think, “But I’m a brilliant fire-fighter!” Good for you. So am I. And yet, it’s not serving me. I’m exhausted.

Look at this magical nugget on page xii, with reference to survival mode: “Because we are moving, we think we are moving forward. We are not. We’re stuck in an endless loop instead.”

By Part I, Chapter 2, I was feeling Erik’s words as actual physical pangs of discomfort (look out for the famer/mouse story in the context of “threats of accretion”). And by Part II, which deals with “How to be dangerous”, I was making notes in a notebook as well. With a highlighter.

Bottom line, Dangerous is a keeper. It’s easy to read, well-structured, accessible, and packed with concise nuggets you can actually apply. Expect practical intelligence in a compact volume (that’s fitted neatly into my handbag for a week now).

I’m Tiffany Markman. I’m an international speaker, trainer, writer and book reviewer, known for my work in corporate copy, advertising, marketing and more. I’ve collaborated with 450+ brands worldwide over the last 17 years, encountering writing that ranges from the sublime to the absurd. I also regularly deliver keynotes, masterclasses, and training – centred on writing, messaging, freelancing and performance. I like my coffee strong and black, my paragraphing short and tight and my apostrophes in all the right places.